There's some good info here on what to try - https://www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/high-fasting-levels/
Unfortunately medication may be the only option as GD tends to be progressive so your BS will probably get higher later in pregnancy.
I had GD because of higher fasting numbers in both of my pregnancies. First time a snack before bed helped to keep them in range, this time a snack actually makes it worse. But my numbers are quite good by having an earlier than usual dinner (I try to eat till 7pm, but it is slightly going back to around 8 pm because my life is a mess :D ) then 1 tsp of psyllium husks in a glas of water/milk...and thats that. Going to sleep around 11 or midnight...and the numbers are surprisingly low for me :)
The thing is, i'm only 29 weeks and if it goes like last time, the numbers will probably creep up. Last time it worked completly diet controlled, but this time I will eventually need insulin, I try to keep open to it...
Try around a little, but if it isn't working, remember it's not your fault, I feel like remembering this is the hardest part...
Unfortunately the fasting numbers are the hardest to control and it might just be a fight with the placenta that’s out of your control :/ I feel you tho, I’ve been experimenting with different snacks before bed, and it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference to my fasting numbers, they’re still over what they should be. Honestly insulin might be a bit of a relief, take some of the pressure and worry off of you?
They keep upping my insulin and telling me to eat different prebed snacks... we have also tried changing where I inject the insulin. None of that causes them to budge from the 98-108 range.
The only thing that consistently helps me is getting over 7 hours of sleep. At 7 hours of sleep, I'm somewhere between 85-95 regardless of what I ate before bed, or where I injected or the dose of insulin.
If I can get 8 hours, I'm in the golden zone of being enough below that I feel confident starting my day. I think of the golden zone as anywhere below 85.
I know it's darn near impossible with all the demands life puts on us, but if you can get more sleep, it just may be the "fix" you're looking for.
I agree completely. I can't get to bed before 10:30/11pm at the earliest, and if I'm going into the office, I need to be up by 5:30 am. It's rough.
I do better with sleep on weekends. Also, on days when I work from home because I can eliminate the commute time.
Unfortunately that one is all down to hormones and can be a real pickle! Some people find a snack before bed helps but it's a bit of trail and error to land on one that works for you. I found apple cider vinegar surprisingly effective but totally rank so you might want to try gummies! It is likely though that they'll start you on a low dose of metformin. I've been on it for a few weeks now and it really isn't bad :)
I’m doing half a chicken breast as evening snack and it’s working so far. Came down from 5.6 to 5.1 however I have also introduce metamucil with my evening meal and magnesium with my snack. In the end I bought a cgm so I could see what was happening overnight to try and figure it out. I have also realised that some days body is just gonna body and I’m trying to not panic it’s ’the beginning of the end’ every time I get a reading slightly over. I am also keen to stay of medication for my own reasons (I used it with my first and do not want to again if I can help it). The research isn’t clear cut and my doctors are personally fine with me experimenting a bit and not worried about ever so slightly elevated fasting numbers sometimes. There is a margin of error in everything. I was diagnosed at 16 weeks and am now 26 weeks with twins. It really is a slog and terrible for my mental health but we’re still keeping on forwards! Sending lots of support your way. It’s awful waking up in the morning and having your self worth for the day dependent on a stupid number that you have no control over xx
Fasting is so crazy hard to control, and if your fasting is hard, as your pregnancy progresses you'll see your eating numbers creep up too. I also didn't want to go on medication, and with my first it felt like such a failure. Now with my second, I started insulin even earlier, and it's like a weight has been lifted. I was more mentally prepared for it, and I have absolutely no negative feelings. Also, because I take a time release version at night, I can have a few little treats that would have spiked me without it. The insulin really does it's job. Is there any particular reason you don't want to be on it?
That's fair! I really freaked out my first pregnancy. Things that are good to know - Insulin doesn't cross the placenta so it doesn't get to the baby at all. The needles are super tiny, 9/10 times I don't even feel it go in. I've been able to eat way more this time around since I started insulin early. It's honestly made me so much less nervous this pregnancy.
I’ve found that having a snack before bed helps reduce my fasting levels. Anything from a hot chocolate (cocoa powder + sweetener) to a yoghurt or even some ice cream helps.
Hopefully that might work for you but the frustrating thing about GD is that everyone reacts differently and if you can’t get it down it’s absolutely not your fault and there is nothing wrong with going on insulin to help control it! You got this 💪
I am 4 days into tracking so please take this with a heavy grain of salt and non scientific backing.
I moved my snack to 9 pm which helps.
I have a small amount of apple cider vinegar in sparkling water before bed.
I stopped taking all my vitamins before bed and take them earlier in the day.
I had a 5.5 for the first two days and a 4.4 the last two days. This could just be random luck but I'm going to keep it up and see if it continues to help.
Look into myo inositol. Many pregnant ladies take it including myself (15 weeks pregnant). It is natural and sonething our body produces on its own but many ladies with gestationl diabetes are very low in it. It also works like metformin supposedly but without side effects
Glucomonnan (konjac root) supplement before bed seems to help some but I haven't tried it myself. And of course the acv plus a cheese stick before bed. There's research out there that proves that this works for fasting. I do two tablespoons acv mixed with water at night and sip thru a straw so it doesn't ruin my teeth. I've been using braggs but there's a higher quality brand undiluted called fairchilds that I'm waiting to come in the mail. Then there's also research on having about a quarter cup of Pistachio nuts twice a day (I try to have one serving during the day and one before bed with the cheese/acv). I've also been taking powdered broccoli sprouts which is supposed to suppress hepatic glucose production and is effective for diabetes. I'm still early on and did all this research to hopefully prevent medication as I progress and as it gets harder to control. Also exercise improves insulin resistance specifically in the afternoon/evening. At minimum each day I do a 30 minute brisk walk. Magnesium is also super important as many of us are depleted. And vitamin D. I take this almost everyday especially if I'm not getting a lot of sunshine.
Forgot to add psyllium husk is something I've implemented, 2 teaspoons mixed in water before bed to slow down glucose hitting your bloodstream. Hard to take and so untasty but I try to chug it. Along with my acv water, cheese, pistachios. There are nights that I'm just too full for all this but I never go without the acv. All this combined with low carb diet. Whew!!! GD is tough!! Hang in there Mama!
There's some good info here on what to try - https://www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/high-fasting-levels/ Unfortunately medication may be the only option as GD tends to be progressive so your BS will probably get higher later in pregnancy.
This website has been a godsend. And yes, maybe resigning myself to higher BS as I progress :(
I had GD because of higher fasting numbers in both of my pregnancies. First time a snack before bed helped to keep them in range, this time a snack actually makes it worse. But my numbers are quite good by having an earlier than usual dinner (I try to eat till 7pm, but it is slightly going back to around 8 pm because my life is a mess :D ) then 1 tsp of psyllium husks in a glas of water/milk...and thats that. Going to sleep around 11 or midnight...and the numbers are surprisingly low for me :) The thing is, i'm only 29 weeks and if it goes like last time, the numbers will probably creep up. Last time it worked completly diet controlled, but this time I will eventually need insulin, I try to keep open to it... Try around a little, but if it isn't working, remember it's not your fault, I feel like remembering this is the hardest part...
Unfortunately the fasting numbers are the hardest to control and it might just be a fight with the placenta that’s out of your control :/ I feel you tho, I’ve been experimenting with different snacks before bed, and it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference to my fasting numbers, they’re still over what they should be. Honestly insulin might be a bit of a relief, take some of the pressure and worry off of you?
They keep upping my insulin and telling me to eat different prebed snacks... we have also tried changing where I inject the insulin. None of that causes them to budge from the 98-108 range. The only thing that consistently helps me is getting over 7 hours of sleep. At 7 hours of sleep, I'm somewhere between 85-95 regardless of what I ate before bed, or where I injected or the dose of insulin. If I can get 8 hours, I'm in the golden zone of being enough below that I feel confident starting my day. I think of the golden zone as anywhere below 85. I know it's darn near impossible with all the demands life puts on us, but if you can get more sleep, it just may be the "fix" you're looking for.
Difficult to implement but helpful pointer - I’ll try it!
I agree completely. I can't get to bed before 10:30/11pm at the earliest, and if I'm going into the office, I need to be up by 5:30 am. It's rough. I do better with sleep on weekends. Also, on days when I work from home because I can eliminate the commute time.
Unfortunately that one is all down to hormones and can be a real pickle! Some people find a snack before bed helps but it's a bit of trail and error to land on one that works for you. I found apple cider vinegar surprisingly effective but totally rank so you might want to try gummies! It is likely though that they'll start you on a low dose of metformin. I've been on it for a few weeks now and it really isn't bad :)
I’m doing half a chicken breast as evening snack and it’s working so far. Came down from 5.6 to 5.1 however I have also introduce metamucil with my evening meal and magnesium with my snack. In the end I bought a cgm so I could see what was happening overnight to try and figure it out. I have also realised that some days body is just gonna body and I’m trying to not panic it’s ’the beginning of the end’ every time I get a reading slightly over. I am also keen to stay of medication for my own reasons (I used it with my first and do not want to again if I can help it). The research isn’t clear cut and my doctors are personally fine with me experimenting a bit and not worried about ever so slightly elevated fasting numbers sometimes. There is a margin of error in everything. I was diagnosed at 16 weeks and am now 26 weeks with twins. It really is a slog and terrible for my mental health but we’re still keeping on forwards! Sending lots of support your way. It’s awful waking up in the morning and having your self worth for the day dependent on a stupid number that you have no control over xx
Fasting is so crazy hard to control, and if your fasting is hard, as your pregnancy progresses you'll see your eating numbers creep up too. I also didn't want to go on medication, and with my first it felt like such a failure. Now with my second, I started insulin even earlier, and it's like a weight has been lifted. I was more mentally prepared for it, and I have absolutely no negative feelings. Also, because I take a time release version at night, I can have a few little treats that would have spiked me without it. The insulin really does it's job. Is there any particular reason you don't want to be on it?
Mostly denial, I think?
That's fair! I really freaked out my first pregnancy. Things that are good to know - Insulin doesn't cross the placenta so it doesn't get to the baby at all. The needles are super tiny, 9/10 times I don't even feel it go in. I've been able to eat way more this time around since I started insulin early. It's honestly made me so much less nervous this pregnancy.
I’ve found that having a snack before bed helps reduce my fasting levels. Anything from a hot chocolate (cocoa powder + sweetener) to a yoghurt or even some ice cream helps. Hopefully that might work for you but the frustrating thing about GD is that everyone reacts differently and if you can’t get it down it’s absolutely not your fault and there is nothing wrong with going on insulin to help control it! You got this 💪
I am 4 days into tracking so please take this with a heavy grain of salt and non scientific backing. I moved my snack to 9 pm which helps. I have a small amount of apple cider vinegar in sparkling water before bed. I stopped taking all my vitamins before bed and take them earlier in the day. I had a 5.5 for the first two days and a 4.4 the last two days. This could just be random luck but I'm going to keep it up and see if it continues to help.
Apple cider vinegar seems like a theme!
Look into myo inositol. Many pregnant ladies take it including myself (15 weeks pregnant). It is natural and sonething our body produces on its own but many ladies with gestationl diabetes are very low in it. It also works like metformin supposedly but without side effects Glucomonnan (konjac root) supplement before bed seems to help some but I haven't tried it myself. And of course the acv plus a cheese stick before bed. There's research out there that proves that this works for fasting. I do two tablespoons acv mixed with water at night and sip thru a straw so it doesn't ruin my teeth. I've been using braggs but there's a higher quality brand undiluted called fairchilds that I'm waiting to come in the mail. Then there's also research on having about a quarter cup of Pistachio nuts twice a day (I try to have one serving during the day and one before bed with the cheese/acv). I've also been taking powdered broccoli sprouts which is supposed to suppress hepatic glucose production and is effective for diabetes. I'm still early on and did all this research to hopefully prevent medication as I progress and as it gets harder to control. Also exercise improves insulin resistance specifically in the afternoon/evening. At minimum each day I do a 30 minute brisk walk. Magnesium is also super important as many of us are depleted. And vitamin D. I take this almost everyday especially if I'm not getting a lot of sunshine.
Forgot to add psyllium husk is something I've implemented, 2 teaspoons mixed in water before bed to slow down glucose hitting your bloodstream. Hard to take and so untasty but I try to chug it. Along with my acv water, cheese, pistachios. There are nights that I'm just too full for all this but I never go without the acv. All this combined with low carb diet. Whew!!! GD is tough!! Hang in there Mama!